Yemeni Leader Agrees to Leave

Another Middle Eastern regime bites the dust: Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh has agreed to create a plan with the opposition party by the end of the year for his exit, a government official confirmed Wednesday. Although no details of the plan have been publicly released, giving Saleh nearly a year to step down already represents a compromise from the opposition’s earlier demands. Saleh, who has been in power for more than 30 years, has been an important ally to Washington, especially given the increasing danger of al Qaeda in Yemen. If Saleh agrees to transfer power, he’ll become the third regional leader to step down amid the protests.